The gardener's eye

The Gardener's Eye

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Bill Noble's Mixed Border in Norwich, VT

Last week, I took some time out from my garden to visit several gardens that I have been wanting to see again. I had visited Bill Noble's garden in Norwich, VT several years ago and returned for a visit last week. Bill was the former Director of Preservation at the Garden Conservancy and has been involved in numerous preservation projects throughout the country including the Garden Conservancy's first project, The Fells Estate and Gardens in Newbury, NH. One of Bill's signature plants is a Himalayan rhubarb called Rheum australe which can be seen in the foreground of the photo above. Behind is his mixed border which looked sumptuous in the late afternoon cloudy lighting. The border includes hydrangeas, phlox, Joe Pye weed, red barberries and the ever-reliable 'Autumn Joy' sedum. I kept asking myself "Why doesn't my garden look this wonderful?"

8 comments:

Hi James,I believe your are talking about Salix elaeagnos, the rosemary willow. Bill also uses Elaeagnus ‘Quicksilver’ but I don't think I have photographed it very well. I am hoping you will post more pictures from your recent gardening adventure!

Thanks, Michael. Both are shrubs I want very much but can't seem to put my hands on. I do have many photos to post from the "Dutch Wave" tour, but we leave on Friday for three weeks in Sicily and Rome, which substantially delays my photo editing for the time being. (I hear from Giacomo that you may be at the Perennial Plant Conf. in early Oct. If so, see you there!) "Sumptuous" is certainly the right word for Bill's garden.

Lovely garden. Is the Joe Pye a cultivar? It looks shorter and more purple than my 'Gateway,' which is quite faded now. The view into the landscape behind the garden is also quite beautiful. I will keep my eyes peeled for your name tag at Swarthmore. It would be nice to say 'hello' in person.

The landscape is lovely in Bill's part of VT. He uses several cultivars of Joe Pye weed. I agree, his have held their color quite well. One the shorter ones is a cultivar called 'Glutball'. I am pretty sure I will be going to the Perennial Plant Conference. I'll be the tall guy from NH. I look forward to meeting you in person too, Sarah.

Wonderfully lush! Much to learn from in design, too. Have you seen it in early summer? It's hard to imagine that a border that looks this "at peak" in early fall is quite as stunning in June, but...

:: the Garden Conservancy's first project, The Fells Estate and Gardens in Newbury, NH ::

Wasn't the Ruth Bancroft Garden (in Walnut Creek, CA) the first Conservancy project? Reminded of it recently by posts from bloggers who attended a promotion for the new book about the RBG, The Bold Dry Garden.

Hi Nell,I haven't seen it in early summer but have seen pictures. There are red barberries with zillions of alliums which put on quite a magnificent show. I should go back next year to see it.I think you are right about the order of the projects. There are different categories of Garden Conservancy Projects. The Fells was already a public garden that the Garden Conservancy helped restore whereas the Ruth Bancroft Garden is a private garden that transitioned to a public garden. I just realized that out on the Garden Conservancy website. Thanks fro prompting me to figure that out!

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About Me

I am an optometrist by profession. I designed and maintained public gardens in Peterborough, NH for nearly two decades. I host garden tours of English Gardens for a tour company called Discover Europe. In 2016, I led a new tour that I designed called The Passionate Gardener. This blog is a chronicle of my gardening adventures.